Nurse-managed health center

A nurse-managed health center provides health care services in medically underserved rural and urban areas in the United States where there is limited access to health care.[1] Nurse-managed health centers provide health care to thousands of uninsured and underinsured people every year. Nurse-managed health centers are usually affiliated with nursing schools, universities, and/or independent non-profit organizations. Managed by advanced practice nurses, nurse-managed health centers provide health care to vulnerable communities using a nursing model.

Overview

The first nurse-managed health center was created at Arizona State University over 25 years ago, and it is still in existence today.[2] Now, there are approximately 250 Nurse-Managed Health Centers in the United States, located in 39 states and the District of Columbia.[3][4] Currently, Philadelphia has more Nurse-Managed Health Centers than any other city in the United States.[5]

Nurse-managed health centers serve populations that are demographically similar to those served by Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). In some cases, Nurse-Managed Health Centers are FQHCs.[6] Nurse-Managed Health Centers tend to be located in or near low-income communities.[5] Over half of the patients seen at Nurse-Managed Health Centers are females who come from racial/ethnic minority populations and are likely to have experienced health disparities.[7]

Nurse-Managed Health Centers are managed and staffed by advanced practice nurses, including nurse practitioners.[8] In some Nurse-Managed Health Centers, nurses collaborate with physicians to provide care. In other Nurse-Managed Health Centers, nurses work independently.

The National Nursing Centers Consortium is the national nonprofit organization that works to advance nurse-led health care through policy, consultation, programs and applied research to reduce health disparities and meet people's primary care and wellness needs.[9] The nation's 250 nurse-managed health clinics reduce health disparities by providing high quality comprehensive primary health care, health promotion and disease prevention services to uninsured, under-insured and vulnerable patients in rural, urban and suburban communities.

Services provided

Many Nurse-Managed Health Centers provide a full range of primary care services including preventive care, similar to services provided by primary care physicians. Research has shown, however, that nurses in Nurse Managed Health Centers spend more time with patients and include more preventive care than physicians. Some Nurse-Managed Health Centers also provide behavioral health services, including family and couples therapy.[10] In addition, all Nurse-Managed Health Centers provide health promotion, wellness, and disease management services.[11]

Nurse-Managed Health Centers also focus on preventive health care, especially regarding certain chronic conditions like asthma, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. This focus on preventative, holistic health care has been shown to reduce emergency room usage and decrease the length of hospital stays among Nurse-Managed Health Center patients.[12]

Representation

The National Nursing Centers Consortium (NNCC) is a 501(c)3 and is the national organization supporting and advocating on behalf of NMHCs and nurse-led care.[7] NNCC currently represents more than 250 NMHCs throughout the nation.[9] They advocate for policy initiatives at the state and federal level on behalf of nurse practitioners scope of practice and also increased funding for NMHCs. NNCC is headquartered in Philadelphia, PA.

See also

References
  1. S. Coleman and T. Hansen-Turton, 2003, "Going National," Advance for Nurses 5(11), 15-18.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2006-09-06. Retrieved 2006-10-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Nurse practitioners filling a care void". Deseretnews.com. 26 June 2006. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  4. "Become a Member". Nurseledcare.org. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  5. "Nurse-managed health centers come to the rescue". Bizjournals.com. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2006-04-28. Retrieved 2006-10-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-05-30. Retrieved 2019-05-30.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. T. Hansen-Turton; A. Ritter (2006). "Continuing Education Series: Insurer Policies Create Barriers to Health Care Access and Consumer Choice" (PDF). Nursing Economics. 24 (4): 204–211.
  9. "National Nurse-Led Care Consortium". Nurseledcare.org. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-03-12. Retrieved 2006-10-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. T. Hansen-Turton and A. Ritter, et al., 2006, “Insurers’ Contracting Policies on Nurse Practitioners as Primary Care Providers: The Current Landscape and What Needs to Change,” Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 7(3), 1-11.
  12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2006-09-25. Retrieved 2006-10-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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